We may have to reassess our no-strings-attached trading policy with China, which made her economic and military rise possible. We created this 800 lbs gorilla and now we are going to have to learn how to live with it. The corporations gained, everyone else may turn out to be losers. In the final analysis South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are going to have to be responsible for their own security. We can’t risk war to save everybody’s bacon. The American Empire is a flawed concept. Instead we should cooperate with our European allies to establish international norms by making trade conditional on real democratic reform.

rheddles

What were America’s leaders thinking? How much money they would make.

When objective history is finally written it will be amazing how much, yet how little, Arab and Chinese money was spent bribing Americans to such great effect. Ask Bernie Saunders.

The American Empire is more accurately described as the American Hegemony. It has presided over the greatest expansion of human welfare in history. It will not end soon unless we choose to abandon it.

Short of a war, the WTO will not be disestablished. Therefore, we should double production of Virginia class subs to assure that there is no war.

Time is not on China’s side. That is part of why they are getting pushy. They sense their relative power is approaching its zenith. We have to get through the next two decades without war and then China will be too old and single sonned to risk war.

I agree with that on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. But this is Wednesday.

Anthony

“Some testing and probing on both sides is to be expected….. It’s going to require some very deft diplomacy.” To what end WRM given reality of rising China.

stevewfromford

Lets see. We need “deft diplomacy” we have Obama! We are screwed.

Jim__L

The Russians are striking it rich, diplomatically, by playing on this administration’s fears (and inadequacies) re: the Syrian conflict, because we are cutting our defense budget. China’s hoping to get its share, too.

Make no mistake. The root cause here is the fact that America’s defense spending is being reduced to fund domestic spending. It is only the weakening of the US that is allowing badly-run countries like Russia and China to feel like they are advancing.

We need to turn that trend around — restore defense spending to the level that it can actually serve as a deterrent to China and Russia, and reduce our domestic obligations so that we can keep up our defense spending.

If people want money from the government, they can provide goods and services in exchange for it.